FTX and AI Apocalypse: The End of Calm Times for Anthropic

Before the bankruptcy of FTX, there was a deep relationship with Anthropic... Large-scale investment

Sam Bankman, deeply influenced by the roots of apocalypse theory, 'effective altruism'

There is a philosophical, emotional, and cultural consensus

[Block Media Reporter Lee Jeong-hwa] "Things will never be chill again."

This motto is often found on stickers on the laptops of employees at Anthropic, an artificial intelligence (AI) development company. It can signify the AI apocalypse and also imply, "Therefore, we must work harder to prevent the apocalypse."

On the 26th (local time), The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported in a lengthy article tracing the roots of AI apocalypse theory that there is a close relationship between the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX and Anthropic. Anthropic founder Dario Amodei frequently attended events hosted by FTX's Sam Bankman and received investments as well.

They formed a deep bond through the philosophical movement known as effective altruism (EA). EA is the theoretical foundation of AI apocalypse theory. Sam Bankman, who is currently serving a 25-year sentence for fraud related to cryptocurrency, has publicly mentioned that he was influenced by EA.

The Connection Between FTX and AI Apocalypse

The starting point was not AI but philosophy. EA began with the philosophy of helping as many people as possible with limited money and resources. It considers how many lives can be saved with a donation of one dollar.

As this logic extends into the distant future, the focus of concern has also changed. It has become an important task to prevent 'existential risks' that threaten not only current people but also countless future individuals.

The logic is that if AI has even a slight possibility of eradicating humanity, preventing this would hold tremendous value. According to WSJ, the EA camp believes that even if the possibility of human extinction due to AI is only 5%, it is worth preparing for.

At this point, FTX comes into play.

Sam Bankman was a prominent supporter of EA. During the rapid growth of FTX from 2020 to 2022, he established the FTX Foundation. Sam Bankman stated, "I will fund organizations that can have the greatest positive impact on the world."

His interests included not only pandemics and global development but also the potential collapse of human civilization. A representative from the FTX Foundation exchanged notes suggesting the purchase of the Pacific island nation of Nauru to build a bunker in preparation for a disaster that could kill 50-99.99% of humanity. This note was revealed during the bankruptcy-related litigation in 2023.

Sam Bankman viewed AI development through the same lens. He expressed concerns that if AI became smarter than humans, it might not treat humans favorably.

$500 Million Investment in Anthropic

This awareness of issues led to actual investments. Dario Amodei, co-founder of Anthropic, reached out to EA supporters in 2021 to raise funds for the nascent AI company. One of them was Sam Bankman.

Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic. Source: Reuters (Bhawika Chhabra)

Sam Bankman invested $500 million in Anthropic, five times the amount initially recommended by his investment team. FTX became one of the major shareholders of Anthropic. Anthropic stated that it would use this funding to research and improve the safety of large-scale AI models.

The FTX Foundation also promised funding to several nonprofit organizations focused on AI safety. The connection did not stop at money.

Nick Beckstead, who led the charitable efforts of the FTX Foundation, later headed an organization aimed at reducing AI risks. He even lived in the same house where co-founders of Anthropic, including Amodei, had previously resided. This house served as a meeting place for EA and AI safety advocates.

Caroline Ellison, who led FTX's sister company Alameda Research, also shared similar views on the direction of AI development. Ellison separately invested $10 million in Anthropic.

In 2022, officials from Anthropic and other AI research institutes gathered at an event held on Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas. The event focused on AI risks and EA as major topics. The venue was reserved by FTX, which had relocated its headquarters to the Bahamas at that time.

Eliezer Yudkowsky, a prominent figure in AI risk theory, presented reasons why artificial general intelligence (AGI) could lead to the destruction of humanity at this event. A luncheon was also held for those who believe that there is over a 75% chance of human extinction within the next 100 years.

FTX Has Collapsed, But the Ideology Remains

FTX went bankrupt in 2022 after failing to return customer funds. Sam Bankman was sentenced to 25 years in prison. The shares of Anthropic held by FTX were also sold off to repay creditors.

The collapse of FTX dealt a significant blow to the EA camp as well. WSJ reported that after Sam Bankman was imprisoned, the EA brand itself became a target of avoidance. EA leaders distanced themselves from Sam Bankman, denying that they knew him well.

However, the disappearance of FTX did not mean the end of AI safety theory. Many long-time members of Anthropic continued their relationships with the AI safety and EA communities. Research on issues such as the potential for AI to deceive and seize control over humans continued.

Constellation, an organization supporting research and meetings in the AI safety camp, continues its activities. This organization describes itself on its website as follows:

"Our goal is to reduce the potential for 'extreme large-scale loss of life' and 'permanent loss of control over human civilization' that AI may cause."

The paradox of FTX lies here. A digital asset exchange that collapsed due to the misappropriation of customer funds ultimately provided significant funding to one side of today's AI safety debate.

The motto shared by Anthropic members still reflects this awareness of issues.

"Things will never be chill again."

This motto does not merely mean "things will never be calm again." The word 'chill' in English carries the nuance of being relaxed and at ease. Therefore, in the context of AI safety theory, it can be interpreted as "we can no longer return to a time when we lived comfortably."

Accepting the possibility that AI could threaten all of humanity means that we can no longer view technological advancement as comfortably as before.

FTX has disappeared. However, the EA network sponsored by FTX and the debate on AI apocalypse remain in the heart of Silicon Valley. The phrase "we can no longer be at ease" encapsulates that worldview.

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